Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) and MercedesAMG are expecting this last race of Y 2017 to be very close.

Ferrari, MercedesAMG and Red Bull Racing have each won 1 of the last 3 races and the early signs from Abu Dhabi are that the fight for victory in the season finale will be just as competitive.

World champion Lewis Hamilton set the Friday pace for Mercedes from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo, but just 3/10ths sec covered the teams on a day all 3 focused some of their running on Y 2018’s coming challenges.

“We got all the running done we needed to get done,” said Mr. Hamilton. “It was a nice, clean Friday.

“But there’s only a 10th between us. It is close, and it’s good that it’s close. I think Red Bull have a bit more to come, as do we. Between us and Ferrari, it is closer than you think.

“The set-up changes overnight will be crucial.” Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff agreed: “On a Saturday, Ferrari generally go up. If you look at today’s long runs, it’s a 10th or two [in it].”

Mr. Vettel had edged out Mr. Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the morning session and, although he then trailed his fellow 4X world champion by 0.149s in the afternoon, Mr. Vettel set a superior long run pace on the ultrasoft tires.

He was also impressed by the pace of his former team.

“I think it will be close, and the Red Bull was very close,” Mr. Vettel said.

“Usually a Saturday, it looks a bit different and the Red Bull drops back. We will see. This is a tricky and long lap, so it’s difficult to get everything right.”

While Valtteri Bottas still has an outside chance of catching Mr. Vettel for 2nd place in the standings, the outcome of Sunday’s race is unlikely to change perceptions of MercedesAMG, Ferrari or Red Bull’s season’s results.

“It’s been a long, long year but it’s not over yet so there’s no need to let off,” declared Mr. Hamilton. “There’s a lot to gain and a lot to achieve from winning this race.”

And Mr. Vettel, who ended Ferrari’s 7-race victory drought last time out in Brazil, added: “We want to finish the season on a high.”

This is the Final Broadcast for F1 in NBC

October’s news that ESPN will take over the broadcasting of F1 races in the US from Y 2018 means this weekend will be the last shows for the F1 on NBC crew.

NBC took over the rights from Y 2013 and has steadily increased the ratings and audience for F1 in the US, and will wrap its run after 5 years and 98 Grands Prix this weekend.

The on-air team of Leigh Diffey, David Hobbs, Steve Matchett and Will Buxton are the most widely known individuals on the show.

Paul Ebeling

Paul A. Ebeling, polymath, excels in diverse fields of knowledge. Pattern Recognition Analyst in Equities, Commodities and Foreign Exchange and author of “The Red Roadmaster’s Technical Report” on the US Major Market Indices™, a highly regarded, weekly financial market letter, he is also a philosopher, issuing insights on a wide range of subjects to a following of over 250,000 cohorts. An international audience of opinion makers, business leaders, and global organizations recognizes Ebeling as an expert.